Charleston Battery opens the 13th iteration of the Carolina Challenge Cup against defending Major League Soccer champions, Seattle Sounders this Saturday night at MUSC Health Stadium.
“It’s incredible,” said Charleston Battery Head Coach Mike Anhaeuser when asked about bringing the defending champions the Charleston. “We’re going to relish the opportunity to play against the Sounders during their preparation for their first ever title defense.”
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Having just started preseason earlier this week, Charleston’s veteran roster will be tested straight out of the gates against a Sounders team that includes Clint Dempsey, Jordan Morris, Nicolas Lodeiro, and former Battery man Ozzie Alonso. Dempsey recently returned to the pitch for the first time since being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat in August. The Sounders drew, 1-1, with the Portland Timbers in Dempsey’s return.
ALL CCC MATCHES WILL BE STREAMED ON www.charlestonbattery.com
Head Coach Mike Anhaeuser’s will likely start with a team full of returning players, including center backs Taylor Mueller and Forrest Lasso who will have to contend with one of the most potentent forward lines in the MLS. The Battery’s roster is currently made up of nine players under contract and twenty-one players on trial.
The match against Seattle will give Anhaeuser’s players, both returning and those trying to earn a contract, the chance to test themselves against Major League Soccer’s best. Charleston have two matches under their belts so far in 2017, but both have been against collegiate competition. The Battery beat College of Charleston and University of South Carolina earlier this week and will be looking forward to continuing that momentum against professional competition this weekend.
Below is the Battery’s Carolina Challenge Cup roster:
| No. | Name | Pos |
| 2 | Reed Norton | D |
| 3 | Forrest Lasso* | D |
| 4 | Taylor Mueller* | D |
| 5 | Berry Sonnenschein | D |
| 6 | Skylar Thomas | D |
| 7 | O’Brian Woodbine* | D |
| 8 | Neveal Hackshaw* | M |
| 10 | Ataulla Guerra* | M |
| 11 | Quinton Griffith* | D |
| 12 | Akeem Roach | M |
| 13 | Koty Millard | M |
| 14 | Jeffery Otoo | F |
| 16 | Heviel Cordoves | F |
| 17 | Ricky Garbanzo | F |
| 19 | Dante Marini* | M |
| 20 | Justin Portillo* | M |
| 21 | Maikel Chang* | M |
| 22 | Tah Brian Anunga | M |
| 23 | Odisnel Cooper | GK |
| 24 | Nico Rittmeyer | F |
| 25 | Kotaro Higashi | M |
| 26 | Hunter Dana | M |
| 27 | Bernard Yeboah | F |
| 28 | Ryan Arambula | M |
| 29 | Jonathan Okafor | M |
| 30 | Akeem Thomas | M |
| 32 | Alex Henderson | M |
| 39 | Robbie Robinson | F |
